Gwinnett School of Rock: Are You Ready to Jam?

After picking up a guitar at the age of 15, Lilburn’s Kelly Bowlin began his lifelong love of music.

But, even then, he learned the disappointment of trying to get a makeshift band to practice, and that could only happen when all the band members showed up.

“And that’s how it is when you can’t get it together,” says Bowlin. “You’re in the basement and someone’s mother is telling you that it’s too loud, or the drummer doesn’t show up, and then no one wants to practice.”

But, that’s not how it is at The Gwinnett School of Rock at the Gwinnett School of Music on Highway 78. In fact, students practice songs all week, so that they can show up, just to jam with fellow classmates, to work toward the concert they’ll perform for “graduation.”

Glen Klein is one of those students, and has been four times before this go around.

“It is a great experience,” says Klein. “You really learn so much more playing with other musicians, than by playing by yourself.”

In real life, this 59-year-old is an executive by day, and had played guitar off and on since he was a teenager. But, he really got into the music school’s rock program after his youngest son left for college.

“My wife and I just had so much time on our hands, so she volunteered more at church and I went to School of Rock.”

That same sense of loyalty rings true with other students and families who have participated in the classes. Valerie Gregg is a student and so is her 12-year-old son, Ben. Another son, Aaron, is a 21-year-old working on a double major at Emory University, with one major being jazz guitar. Both attended Gwinnett School of Rock.

“After Aaron took lesson from Dominic DeSantis at the school, it moved him to a new level,” says Gregg.

She added that the level of confidence that the kids who play for DeSantis achieves is amazing. Her son Ben plays the keyboards and even sings now.

“Almost all the kids in the program have been encouraged to sing,” she says. And this is due to DeSantis’s patience in working with them. They blossom, learning very complicated pieces as the weeks progress and the concert date gets closer.

Gregg, herself, plays in the adult band and finds it to be a big stress reliever, and that even the adults get excited toward the end of the class.

“Everyone is so busy with our daily work lives, but when it all comes together at the end, for the show, it’s really amazing to see.”

Bowlin, who has a Performance Degree in Classical Guitar from the University of Georgia, says that when it comes to music, “getting them hooked as young kids” is the way to go. His 10-week classes are led by seasoned professional musicians, directing the students to put on that show at the end of each session.

“The creativity these kids already have, paired with the structure we provide, as well as the equipment needed to really have a band, helps every student reach his potential.”

The equipment he is referring to is often the equipment most kids don’t have in the basement: amplifiers, microphones, lights, speakers, drum sets and other items.

Says Bowlin: “If you had to put it all together yourself, you probably couldn’t afford it.”

This session’s “graduation" show at Wild Bill’s in Duluth, is Monday, Feb. 20 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Bowlin says that they’ve used other popular venues before for the shows, but that this time, it will be an ultimate show.

Snellville resident, 12-year-old Nick Abrams, says that he likes taking classes at School of Rock because he is taught how to break songs down into the different instrument parts, then, the parts are put back together, turning into a great song.

“You learn to work together as a group to play songs,” says Abrams. He also says they have fun and learn a lot about music, but that there is an even better part of attending classes. “We get a chance to see what it feels like to be rock stars.”